The first Manhunter's first appearance was in the Quality Comics title Police Comics #8 and his solo stories ended in issue #101. The Quality Comics characters were purchased by DC Comics when Quality went out of business in 1956. Dan Richards would eventually be featured in Young All-Stars and All-Star Squadron. His origin was retold in Secret Origins (vol. 2) #22.

Donald "Dan" Richards attended the police academy with his girlfriend's brother, Jim, who was at the top of the class, while Dan was at the very bottom. After Jim was framed for a crime he didn't commit, Dan took up the identity of Manhunter to track down the actual killer. He caught the perpetrator and cleared Jim's name. Afterwards, however, he continued to operate as Manhunter. His sidekick was a dog named Thor, who was later retcon to be a robotic sentry operating under the auspices of the Manhunter cult. Dan's granddaughter, Marcie Cooper, became the third Harlequin after he convinced her to join the Manhunters.

Dan Richards was later killed by Mark Shaw, who had fallen back into his Dumas persona.